"It Was 100% Fake Fielding": Ex-India Cricketer Admits Virat Kohli Was At Fault Against Bangladesh
Virat Kohli was accused of 'fake fielding' in the T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh by Nurul Hasan. Even former India cricketer, Aakash Chopra, feels Kohli was at fault.
The Indian cricket team's Super 12 match against Bangladesh produced some highly debatable incidents. Though India won the match in the last over, the quick resumption of play after rain as well as allegations of 'fake fielding' on Virat Kohli have drawn plenty of attention from fans, former cricketers, and pundits. As Bangladesh continue to criticise umpiring in the match, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has admitted that Kohli was guilty of 'fake fielding' and India earned a reprieve because of the umpires' failure to spot the incident.
It was Bangladesh wicket-keeper batter Nurul Hasan who came out all guns blazing against Virat Kohli and the Indian team, suggesting his side should've been gifted 5 more runs because of the India star's action.
Even Aakash Chopra feels Kohli's action would've seen India being slapped with a penalty if the umpires had witnessed what he did on the field.
"Woh fake fielding tha, 100% tha, wo jo throw marne ka prayas kia wo agar umpire dekhte toh 5 run ki pentaly padti humko aur 5 run se hum match bhi jeete. (Yes that was 100% fake fielding because of the way Kohli attempted to throw the ball. If the umpires had seen him do that, we would've been slapped with a five-run penalty and we've won by five runs only.) So we escaped here but next time if someone does this then the umpires will have to be more careful. So are Bangladesh right? Yes, they are but nobody noticed it then so can't do anything now," the cricketer-turned-pundit said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Fake fielding by @imVkohli pic.twitter.com/SyrhVuDAYd
— RAH (@fishingtechniqe) November 3, 2022
Not just the 5-run penalty, Chopra also highlighted that the ball would've been called 'dead' while the 2 runs that Bangladesh ran on that ball would also have been counted.
"If that five penalty runs were given, the two that the Bangladesh pair ran, would have still have been counted, the ball would have been dead and Bangladesh would have gotten to choose who takes strike in the next ball," Chopra revealed in the video.
The former India opener does feel India benefitted from an umpiring failure in the match. But, he also asserted the need to be more careful about such instances in the future.
India Cricket Team
Bangladesh Cricket Team
Virat Kohli